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“Sky Is The Limit” Art Exhibition by Tomokazu Matsuyama

The first solo exhibition “Sky Is The Limit” by Japanese artist, Tomokazu Matsuyama, in Greater China and Hong Kong. It will be held in Ocean Terminal Forecourt and Gallery by the Harbour of Harbour City from 15 August to 9 September 2014. Exposed to both traditional Japanese and modern Western cultures from a young age, Matsuyama developed a brand new personal art style inspired by both cultures. Aside from his various collaborations with international brands and designers, he also has hosted various solo exhibitions, such as his most recent one at Rauchuer Institute at Harvard University as well as being a guest lecturer.

「Sky Is The Limit」- 6.5 M Tall Stainless Steel Sculpture

Internationally renowned artist Tomokazu Matsuyama will display his works in Hong Kong for the first time. He has specially used Hong Kong and Victoria Harbour as the theme to create his first and largest sculpture of his career for this exhibition “Sky Is The Limit”. This 6.5M tall stainless steel sculpture depicts a boy with dot-eyes riding a horse with his finger pointing towards the sky, symbolizing the wide horizons of Hong Kong as an international city, along with its endless vitality reaching towards the sky. The production process took up to 3 months with this giant sculpture, after a special treatment mirror technology, with the main entrance of the outdoor forecourt showcasing the kaleidoscopic paintings, matching the colourful scenery of Victoria Harbour. The surrounding environment is reflected in the mirror patterns influenced by the kaleidoscope, reflecting the ever changing and colourful dynamics of Hong Kong.

Matsuyama gathered his inspiration from such subjects including the 19th century oil painting, “Napoleon Crossing The Alps” by David, drawings of a samurai warrior riding a horse by Hokusai, a Japanese Ukiyoe’s master, American Playmobil as well as Japanese manga, “Yu-gi Oh!” to create the culturally integrated piece “Sky Is The Limit”. Surrounding the sculpture, Matsuyama will fill the billboards and the entrance area with designs based on his kaleidoscopic paintings. They are his version of abstraction originated from "Thousand Origami Cranes," a Japanese traditional good luck charm often used as a gift for friends and families.

Signature Paintings at Gallery by the Harbour

Gallery by the Harbour will also host a series of canvas paintings, and a mini version of “The Sky Is The Limit” sculpture. Viewers will enjoy a closer look into Matsuyama’s bold and creative world. Matsuyama’s paintings are strong, bold, and hold a strong personal style. It is carefully designed to look seemingly fragmented with messy bright colours. The canvas has over 20 layers of paints, repeatedly placed over each other, combining different mediums together. Thus the production process takes from 2 – 14 months to complete.

Kaleidoscopic painting series is one of Matsuyama's popular pieces which is also used on billboards. These are his version of abstract painting originated from "Thousand Origami Cranes," a Japanese traditional good luck charm often used as a gift to friends and families.

Painting inspired by Kano is another signature series of Matsuyama. It is originated in a painting by court painter Kano Sanraku, Dog Chasing, from the first decades of the Edo period. Sanraku was adopted into the famed Kano School family after working for Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the unifier of Japan, and soon become leader of the movement. Matsuyama gives the work a unique spin by taking the riders from the original scene, and places them on colorful canvases in different sizes/shapes which are filled with his signature stripes, gradations and snow falls on the background. As a result, the painting gives uniquely hybrid texture of nostalgia and contemporary themes. Additionally, a horse is a ubiquitous "macho" icon in almost every Eastern and Western culture, and it is also coincidently currently the Year of the Horse.